3.07.2013

The other day, I was passing by Alderbridge when I had noticed a sign directing attention to a new Korean place that had opened on Alexandra Road. It wasn't until I noticed @CrispyLechon's tweet showing off his $8.99 lunch did it really move to the top of my to-eat list.

As a part of the lunch set, I ordered the bibimbap since it was a cold and rainy day. This was the usual bibimbap with all the fixings, which were actually quite generous. I liked the sweetness of the mushrooms and actually surprisingly enjoyed the spinach. The topping-to-rice ratio was perfect, without too little or too much topping (as seen below). Definitely a dish that was solid and nicely done here.

Aside from the bibimbap, they also have the usual suspects -- the banchan, including kimchi, potato, and seaweed. More on that later. I found the miso soup to be a nice touch, and it was actually pretty good. Oh, and what's that? Is that something else behind the banchan?

Yep, for $8.99 you get not one, but two dishes! And we're throwing in the banchan and miso soup for free! The lunch menu has 10 options for their "main" entree and 5 options for something on the side. I chose the japchae, which was alright. I don't really love japchae to begin with though every I know does, so maybe that's why I ordered it. Once again, there was a nice amount of toppings on it.

The banchan was good too. I actually thought the kimchi was perfect -- it wasn't to sour, nor was it all chopped up and floating in liquid. Better than most of the other Korean places I've visited lately. The potatoes were standard, but I actually surprisingly enjoyed the seaweed. I usually find the taste fishy, but it was nicely marinated here. The texture wasn't too slimy either. Overall, Hanok is a definite winner for me -- two of these sets are probably enough for three people, and I already cannot wait to come back here. The service was pretty decent too, and they actually asked if I wanted refills on the side dishes. How kind of them!